It Always Rains on Kamino
by a pun or something
Summary: Obi-Wan has always admired Shaak from afar, stealing moments with her when he could. One such moment came after the Battle of Kamino. Short and sweet.
1. Chapter 1

It Always Rains on Kamino

Sweeping, polished archways passed overhead as Obi-Wan navigated the halls of Kamino, on the hunt for a very specific target. Night had long since fallen like the rain that beat against the glass, rippling the view of the roiling seas beyond.

It was not often that his path crossed with Master Ti's, and he supposed he owed General Grievous a vote of thanks for crossing their paths this time, at least.

Oh how he wished for their paths to cross by more pleasant means.

The halls gave way to a dimly-lit observation room overlooking the seas, and Shaak stood at the glass, hands folded in her robes as she gazed through the rivulets catching every flash of lightning like beads of fire in the night.

His heart lifted even as the familiar ache settled in his chest. If stolen moments were all he would ever have, then he would steal all he could.

He cleared his throat to announce his presence, despite knowing she had been aware of it since before he entered, and came to stand beside her at the window, the edge of his sleeve brushing hers.

The waves churning below moved across the black waters like snow-capped mountains blown by the wind.

"Lovely weather, these ocean planets."

A gentle smile graced her lips. "I have come to appreciate it."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

"On Shili, it rained often," she said. "I would spend hours in the cover of a Raku tree, listening to the patter on the leaves above me." Her eyelids drifted closed, the corners of her mouth still turned upward. "When I close my eyes and listen, I can smell the wet Turu grass, and feel the damp soil between my toes. And for a moment... I am home."

His chest tightened.

"Forgive me, Master Kenobi." Her voice brought him back. "You did not come to watch me lose myself in thought." Pools of swirling blue gazed up at him. "Is there something I can do for you?"

He swallowed. "I just wanted to say goodbye before I left. My transport back to Coruscant will be leaving shortly."

"In that case, I wish you safe travel, Obi-Wan." Her hand found its way to his arm. "I'm always glad when our paths cross."

His heart lept, and a smile that would not be contained burned his cheeks. "As am I, Master Ti."

His wrist-comm beeped, and Anakin's voice tore through the space between them. "Master, we're waiting on you. Let's go."

Her hand slipped from his arm, and his heart deflated, sinking back into the ache that rose like the surging sea outside. The moments never lasted, did they?

"Well..." He cleared his throat. "I'd better not keep him waiting."

Her lip tugged, a knowing look in her eyes.

He nodded a final goodbye to her, and left the warmth of her presence, braving the shivering gusts.

Anakin stood next to the waiting shuttle, hair whipping in the torrent that howled across the waters. "Nice of you to join us, Master."

Obi-Wan walked passed him and climbed into the shuttle. "I'm not your master anymore, Anakin. You didn't need to wait for me."

Anakin blinked before climbing in after him. "I'm sorry, Master."

Obi-Wan sighed, lowering himself into an unoccupied seat.

"Everyone's aboard." A trooper pounded the hull with his fist. "Let's get back to the ship."

"Roger that."

As the doors closed, Obi-Wan cast a glance toward the observation building.

A single familiar figure stood silhouetted in the window. Pools of swirling blue locked with his, and scarlet lips tilted in an affectionate half-smile.

Warmth spread throughout his chest.

The door latched shut with a metallic clang.

In the seat across from him, under the glow of a red cabin light, Anakin shook out his boots. "If I never have to come back to this planet again, I'll be happy."

"I don't know." Obi-Wan leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as the sound of pelting rain against metal filled the shuttle. "I think I've come to appreciate it."

Anakin shook his head as the shuttle rumbled, lifting away from the platform. "You're a little strange, you know that, Master?"

"Indeed I am, Anakin." He smiled. "Indeed I am."

THE END

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

It Once Rained on Coruscant

Wisps of chamomile floated up from the stained wood of the tea kettle, tickling Shaak Ti's nose with the scent of morning, and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

Overseeing the training of new cadets was a rewarding task, but a taxing one. And the long hours of tedium added up quickly.

Time off in the Temple was a welcome respite.

She poured herself a steaming cup of the amber liquid, and placed the kettle back on the stove, taking the cup with her into the living area and glancing at the chrono displaying the date on the wall as she took a sip.

The timing of her assigned vacation did not escape her, and she did not have to think long to deduce who was responsible for arranging it. Understated consideration was a trademark of his.

She smiled against the rim of her cup.

The door chimed.

She placed her tea on the table by the sofa, and crossed the room to the threshold, laying her palm on the panel in the frame.

The door slid open, and Obi-Wan stood in the hall, his golden locks glowing like fire in the morning sun filtering through the arched windows behind him.

Their eyes met, and his chest rose underneath the earthy robes draped over his shoulders, his whiskered cheeks pulling back in a grin. "Good morning, Master Ti. How are you?"

The gentle twinge his smile brought with it tickled her belly, and her lip tugged of its own volition. "I am well, Master Kenobi. How are you?"

"I'm quite well. Though, a little hungry."

She lifted a brow in a subtle imitation of the man before her. "Oh?"

His smile widened. "Indeed. Quite famished, in fact. And considering the occasion, I wondered if you might be interested in joining me for breakfast in the park."

He never gave up, did he? She breathed out a good-natured sigh. "The Order does not celebrate birthdays, Master Kenobi."

He looked surprised. "Is it your birthday? I wasn't aware."

_Insufferable man..._ "Then forgive me, Obi-Wan, but to what occasion are you referring?"

If possible, his smile widened further. "Why, this glorious morning, of course."

The twinge rose in her chest, and she bit her cheek to keep from smiling. It would only encourage him.

He stretched an arm toward her. "Will you join me?"

Chamomile wafted from inside the living room, calling to her with thoughts of a relaxing day in.

Eyes a shade of blue that rivaled the sky behind him awaited her in the hallway.

_I'm going to regret this. _She stepped through the door, accepting his arm. "Lead the way, Master Kenobi."

He beamed at her, and she could only shake her head as they left her apartment behind.

The tea could always be reheated later.

OOO

After an hour of flying over countless spires, and Obi-Wan assuring her the park he was taking her to was indeed on Coruscant, they came to a nature reserve many miles from the hustle of the city.

The coo of the engine mellowed as he lowered the speeder toward a clearing, waves running across the tall, red-and-white grass like the ripples of an ocean as they touched down in the field.

"Should we not park in the designated area?" Shaak said as he powered down the speeder.

He checked the small chrono on his wrist for the tenth time since leaving her apartment, and his eyes twinkled. "It's been taken care of."

He grabbed the picnic basket from the back seat, and hopped out, wading through the waist-high grass with his shoulders back, and head high.

Her belly twinged. _That man is planning __something__.__.._ She shook her head even as she fought a smile, dismounting the speeder and landing with a light thump, her feet sinking into the rich soil.

A dense, earthy aroma wafted up, filling her lungs with memories of home, and she paused, looking down at her feet.

Shilian soil.

Her lips parted, and she looked up at Obi-Wan's retreating form, taking in her surroundings with new realization. The soil, the trees, the grass... Every bit of life sprouting up from the ground was from Shili.

_What are you up to, Obi-Wan? _She narrowed her eyes at his back, ignoring the twinge in her belly, and she followed behind him, her palms grazing across the velvety tops of the Turu grass swaying at her waist.

He led her to the shade of a Raku tree, its winding branches stretching out like a living canopy, and he placed the basket down before taking his boots and socks off, setting them aside and sitting against the smooth surface of the tree, looking up at her with a strangely unreadable expression.

"Will you join me?" he said.

She peered at him and bit the inside of her cheek, but slid her sandals off, her toes sinking into the earth as she lowered herself down next to him.

He lit up in a smile, and glanced at his chrono before turning his gaze upward. "It should be starting about now."

She was about to ask _what_ exactly should be starting now, when a rumble echoed down from the sky, wisps of light-grey that weren't there a few moments ago weaving together like a tapestry above them, glowing in purple and gold pastels with the morning sun.

Her heart fluttered, and her eyes widened. _He didn't..._

Drops of rain began splashing down, pattering against Raku leaves and Turu grass, and soaking into the Shilian soil.

The scents of Shili wrapped around her, filling her with whispers of a home she missed so dearly, and her eyes drifted closed as cool drops filtered through the shimmering Raku leaves, running down her face with tickling kisses as she tilted her head back, no longer fighting the smile that spread across her face.

Home had not been this close in a long time.

"Happy birthday, Shaak." Obi-Wan's soft voice washed over her.

Warmth blossomed from the gentle twinge in her belly, spreading through her like a wave from the ends of her montrals, to the tips of her toes, and she opened her eyes, turning to him.

He looked back at her with the softest smile she had seen on him.

The warmth gathered in her heart, and she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to his whiskered cheek. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," she whispered.

His chest swelled under his robes, and he beamed. "The thanks belongs to the Coruscant WeatherNet, but if I get a kiss out of it, I'll happily steal the credit."

She exhaled a breath of laughter, showing freely in her eyes the affection she felt for him. She came to accept long ago that he would never give up this game he played with her, teasing the bounds of the Code with stolen glances and secret smiles.

And maybe, deep down, she didn't want him to.

But maybe here, in this moment, under the cover of a Raku tree, listening to the patter of the rain and feeling the damp soil between her toes, they didn't have to be Jedi masters teasing each other with hints of something they could never have.

Maybe here, in this place, they could just be Shaak and Obi-Wan.

She reached for his hand, her fingers interlacing with his, and she closed her eyes as his thumb brushed gentle circles across her skin, a light smile resting on her face as she simply enjoyed a quiet moment with the man she had come to care so much for.

"Perhaps, this could be a new tradition," he murmured. "Something we do every year."

Her head came to rest on his shoulder, his scent mixing with that of home as she breathed deeply. "A new tradition for the Order, Obi-Wan? Or for us?"

His lips brushed her temple. "For us, Shaak. Just for us."

She smiled. "I'd like that, Obi-Wan."

"I'd like that very much."

THE END

* * *

Thanks for reading!


End file.
